Does wine get better with age? Yes and no
A couple weeks ago, I discovered with a cold shock that there was a 2004 vintage of B.C. wine in my cellar.
I’m not in the habit of keeping wines for 10-plus years, in part because my storage system has been less than ideal over the years. Since this particular wine was acquired, my “cellar” has been moved from the floor of a bedroom closet in one house to the crawlspace of a rental home, to the basement of yet another house, and lastly to a small main floor of my current home. There have been no climate controlled digs for my collection, I’m sad to say.
This bottle has not only followed me through several moves, it has been housed, unwisely, in cardboard boxes for extended periods. It has been shaken and jostled, exposed to light, spent time near heat sources and smelly paint cans. Thus, upon the discovery of its prolonged existence, I didn’t have high hopes for what would greet me when I finally mustered the courage to open the bottle.
Even if I was fortunate enough to own a state-of-the-art storage system, keeping a wine for more than a decade is still a bit of a gamble. Many people are under the mistaken impression that all wines benefit from long-term aging, but that’s not at all the case. Considering that the majority of wines are consumed within 24 to 48 hours of purchase, vintners have been diligent to produce quantities of ready-drink-to wines. In fact, most wines are best enjoyed with couple years of release, when they are fresh and lively. Even those that are touted as “age-worthy” might not be what you’d expect when you open them years later.
That’s not to say you should be pulling the cork of every bottle you purchase as you leave the liquor store. Well-crafted wines made with superior fruit can stand the test of time, but they will be, well, different from their original state. To appreciate them, you need to be prepared for the changes.
A wine that is rich and fruity upon release won’t necessarily get richer and fruiter over the years. Fruitiness, in fact, will fade away. A bottle will end up with more complex, secondary characteristics such as nutty, spicy, earthy and even cheesy aromas and flavours.
I’ve heard people inexperienced with older vintages describe them in not so flattering terms. Yet, the wines aren’t necessarily flawed, only morphed into something altogether different.
A few years ago, I participated in a blind tasting of Chardonnay wines. Included in that mix were a couple of recently released Okanagan wines and a $150 French bottle that was more than a decade old and considered by critics as the crème de la crème of the crop.
The crowd favourite was a newer $20 bottle local wine and only a few chose the higher-end cellared version.
Wine aging is all about experience, education and, above all, experimenting.
Things to remember when it comes to aging wine are:
Don’t look for varietal character in a mature wine.
Corked bottles should be stored on their sides to keep the cork moist; but bottles with screwcaps or artificial corks can be kept upright.
Acidity levels stay the same in aged wines, but the perception of it will heighten as the fruit character fades.
Alcohol levels have risen substantially over the years. Though alcohol content won’t increase over time, the perception of alcohol will seem more pronounced in mature wines.
Aged reds will become lighter in colour and have more brick and brown tones. Whites will deepen and become more golden and amber in colour.
A wine made with unripe fruit will not improve over time, no matter what the conditions.
Some aged wines may have sherry- or brandy-like characteristics, which is OK, but wine that smells and tastes like vinegar is not desirable. Many people confuse the difference.
Price does not dictate the longevity of a wine.
When in doubt, just drink it.
Wine Notes
Blue Mountain Sauvignon Blanc 2016 Bright and crisp with fresh lemon, grapefruit, gooseberry, grassy aromas and flavours. Lively palate with mouth-watering acidity. An excellent compliment to lemon-poached halibut or a crisp summer salad. Score: 91 Price: $18.90 Winery Location: Okanagan Falls Intrigue Riesling 2016 This winery knows how to do Riesling right and this one is full of green apple, peach, lime zest, spice, mineral and a hint of honey. It’s fruity, spicy, zesty character lends itself well to be paired with dishes that have a kick. Think grilled sticky Asian-spiced chicken wings or mango-chililime glazed pork tenderloin as good matches. Score: 90 Price: $16.90 Winery Location: Lake Country Julianna Hayes’ Grape Expectations runs weekly in The Okanagan Weekend. Reach her at bcvineliving@gmail.com.